Top 31 Music Albums of 2020 by 
DommeDamian 
- Chart updated: 3 days ago
- (Created: 07/13/2021 19:43).
- Chart size: 31 albums.
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This chart is currently filtered to only show albums from Spanish Love Songs. (Remove this filter)
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75/100
I will never get to love emo pop punk truly, but in an alternate dimension where it's a favorite genre of mine, this will be my Bible. Above all else, the lyrical depressiveness is apparent in excellent glory. It's almost like classic country commentary, but the expression is more rock. What Townes Van Zandt is to country, Spanish Love Songs is to pop punk. Definitely a decade-defining album in that category, perhaps even an all-timer. I got into the record because of Spectrum Pulse, so where I disagree with him is more towards the instrumentation and whatnot. His analysis of songwriting and what lyricist Solcum is expressing is on point. The rest of the description is that part of his review, where I'll use some quotes and then say what I disagree. I also wanted to share some amazing lyrics, but the BEA-space won't allow it. NE-ways, lizkit N-tuet.
"So, stellar writing, fantastic thematic depth and detail, a heartwrenching performance that cuts true, what could go wrong here? Well, this is where I would come in here and say that it’s doing all this with a pretty ‘by-the-numbers’ emo palette: noisy pop-punk leaning grooves with huge anthemic hooks, sharp drumwork, synth primarily used as accent texture, but nothing that on its surface seems revolutionary… but this is a project where not only is it mixed to amplify that shaky, desperate instability, but also add a diversity of groove and melodic interplay that will throw you offguard in the best way possible like on ‘Beach Front Property’ while preserving dynamics and nailing the loud-soft moments that know when to get spare to ratchet up the crescendos."
- I agree with the statement of how to ratchet up the crescendos, but even the softer moments, it's still relatively energetic, sometimes too much for it to gutpunch itself when it picks up. I see it coming always, so I am not caught off-guard, only by the way songwriting stays on top. It might be one of the few albums (that I have ever heard, out of those I like) where the quotable are sticking more with me than the "hooks". And there's not as much groove as there is simple rhythm. Also, what is accent texture?
"And I’m giving a ton of credit to Gabe Mayeshiro on bass here, where not only is he actively contributing interweaving harmonies more than you’d expect, but he’s bringing a sinuous, frenetic tension in the foundation that only ramps up the emotional surge when this album swings for the fences in its anthemic moments."
- The bass is massively understated here, it always get outshowered by overpowering guitar chords like most emo music. It's quite the opposite of bringing anything of true harmony. Maybe I'm hearing it through bad speakers, but I generally wouldn't feel a less emotional surge if it were played on acoustic guitar.
"And when the melodies are as crisp and bright as they are on the guitars and Ruben Duarte’s drumwork is explosive but just ever-so-slightly offkilter, especially when he gets fast as hell, you realize that once again Spanish Love Songs is nailing that balance between organic rawness and technical refinement."
- Except the U2-riff on Losers 2, those melodies from the guitar and the vocals of Dylan acts secondary. And overall emo music embodies the least humane aspects of organic rawness and technical refinement. Guitars are too cleanly mixed to feel raw too.
"And even those little keyboard moments work, from the synth-touches on the outro of ‘Routine Pain’ to the hint of organ behind ‘Self-Destruction (As A Sensible Career Choice)’ to the piano slipping between the lines on ‘Beach Front Property’ and ‘Losers’, to how so much drops back to emphasize the painful loneliness of the third verse. And sure, these are expected guitar tones for emo and pop punk, but not only does that enhance the universality of the themes and tones across the album, when the anthemic moments hit like how ‘Generation Loss’ crashes into its hook off the blur of cymbals and chugging bassy riffs, or how ‘Kick’ brings in brighter melodic touches against its choppy structure, or the huge breakdown after the bridge on ‘Losers’ that’s later mirrored in bassier progressions and a hook just as huge on ‘Losers 2’, or how the acoustics and crushing bass let ‘Optimism (As A Radical Life Choice)’ explode into even rougher tones or how the title track is a testament to every choppy build-up to nail a killer hook."
- The organ on Self-Destruction, just like the bass-work, is too understated to make any impact.
- Generation Loss' chorus is hilariously poor from a perspective of catchiness or verse-foot. Same thing for the chorus on Losers 2 or the title track's vagueness.
- The windy topic cannot save Kick's derivative riff (the melody-writing here isn't universal, it's just a bit stale - except the last chorus), and the structure doesn't feel choppy either.
- There's not as much piano in Beach Front Property, as there are stops and starts with where the hard-hitting lines go. That Edge-inspired guitar overshadows any piano too on Losers.
- Granted, Optimism have the most apparent bass, but it's only playing respectably, nothing that feels too exciting. That song is also two tones away from just being a well-written post-grunge song.
"And every moment I’m left thinking that this album might one-dimensional in its approach or tone, you get cuts like ‘Dolores’ that rip everything back to a simmering slow burn ballad, or every moment the band knows to slow it down and breathe for just a moment, or a switch up into tones that are even more punishing but still contain real melody!"
- It isn't that slow in the grand scheme of albums with similar momentum. And that melody was fleeting with the lyrics staying, almost like any song here imo.
"And in the end… folks, by the time I got a solid eight to ten listens in I was looking for flaws, I was trying to drill into everything that could be better or different. Some critics have claimed the band is overly earnest especially with Slocum’s delivery being an acquired taste, but that’s the same criticism thrown at Sage Francis and plenty of emo acts and that’s never phased me in the slightest, especially when they don’t lean on sentimentality."
- That's a matter of preference, I don't consider them overly earnest, I already explained my quote unquote problems above. And the lack of sentimentality definitely is a strength for me too. Dylan's delivery is cut from the same cloth as Brian Fallon (from Gaslight Anthem) but he still is an A- development of Chris Carrabba (of Dashboard).
"The only other criticism for which I can see holding water is that the album can be emotionally exhausting and draining hitting so many of the same heavy power chords, that maybe it doesn’t show enough diversity… until you pay attention to how often the guitar and bass tones change up to deliver hook after hook of walloping power, and each song has enough unique detail in its content and melodic composition to feel unique."
- In comparison with any other emo album that I see as inferior to this, it does not contain that much variety. And I actually don't think it's emotionally exhausting, but maybe that just once again speaks to how intelligent of a songwriter Dylan Slocum is: no melodrama, or least always a fulfilling bone to it.
"I will also add that it’s an emotionally draining listen - art this raw and direct and targeted so expertly often is - but even that mirrors the hard confrontation with reality that is art that can speak this powerfully with such interwoven cohesion and thematic power."
- The emo soundscape prevents it from being draining, and I mostly just feel heard or guided by the truthspilling. Just like if any reader lost me, I still consider Brave Faces Everyone a really great album. [First added to this chart: 07/14/2021]
I will never get to love emo pop punk truly, but in an alternate dimension where it's a favorite genre of mine, this will be my Bible. Above all else, the lyrical depressiveness is apparent in excellent glory. It's almost like classic country commentary, but the expression is more rock. What Townes Van Zandt is to country, Spanish Love Songs is to pop punk. Definitely a decade-defining album in that category, perhaps even an all-timer. I got into the record because of Spectrum Pulse, so where I disagree with him is more towards the instrumentation and whatnot. His analysis of songwriting and what lyricist Solcum is expressing is on point. The rest of the description is that part of his review, where I'll use some quotes and then say what I disagree. I also wanted to share some amazing lyrics, but the BEA-space won't allow it. NE-ways, lizkit N-tuet.
"So, stellar writing, fantastic thematic depth and detail, a heartwrenching performance that cuts true, what could go wrong here? Well, this is where I would come in here and say that it’s doing all this with a pretty ‘by-the-numbers’ emo palette: noisy pop-punk leaning grooves with huge anthemic hooks, sharp drumwork, synth primarily used as accent texture, but nothing that on its surface seems revolutionary… but this is a project where not only is it mixed to amplify that shaky, desperate instability, but also add a diversity of groove and melodic interplay that will throw you offguard in the best way possible like on ‘Beach Front Property’ while preserving dynamics and nailing the loud-soft moments that know when to get spare to ratchet up the crescendos."
- I agree with the statement of how to ratchet up the crescendos, but even the softer moments, it's still relatively energetic, sometimes too much for it to gutpunch itself when it picks up. I see it coming always, so I am not caught off-guard, only by the way songwriting stays on top. It might be one of the few albums (that I have ever heard, out of those I like) where the quotable are sticking more with me than the "hooks". And there's not as much groove as there is simple rhythm. Also, what is accent texture?
"And I’m giving a ton of credit to Gabe Mayeshiro on bass here, where not only is he actively contributing interweaving harmonies more than you’d expect, but he’s bringing a sinuous, frenetic tension in the foundation that only ramps up the emotional surge when this album swings for the fences in its anthemic moments."
- The bass is massively understated here, it always get outshowered by overpowering guitar chords like most emo music. It's quite the opposite of bringing anything of true harmony. Maybe I'm hearing it through bad speakers, but I generally wouldn't feel a less emotional surge if it were played on acoustic guitar.
"And when the melodies are as crisp and bright as they are on the guitars and Ruben Duarte’s drumwork is explosive but just ever-so-slightly offkilter, especially when he gets fast as hell, you realize that once again Spanish Love Songs is nailing that balance between organic rawness and technical refinement."
- Except the U2-riff on Losers 2, those melodies from the guitar and the vocals of Dylan acts secondary. And overall emo music embodies the least humane aspects of organic rawness and technical refinement. Guitars are too cleanly mixed to feel raw too.
"And even those little keyboard moments work, from the synth-touches on the outro of ‘Routine Pain’ to the hint of organ behind ‘Self-Destruction (As A Sensible Career Choice)’ to the piano slipping between the lines on ‘Beach Front Property’ and ‘Losers’, to how so much drops back to emphasize the painful loneliness of the third verse. And sure, these are expected guitar tones for emo and pop punk, but not only does that enhance the universality of the themes and tones across the album, when the anthemic moments hit like how ‘Generation Loss’ crashes into its hook off the blur of cymbals and chugging bassy riffs, or how ‘Kick’ brings in brighter melodic touches against its choppy structure, or the huge breakdown after the bridge on ‘Losers’ that’s later mirrored in bassier progressions and a hook just as huge on ‘Losers 2’, or how the acoustics and crushing bass let ‘Optimism (As A Radical Life Choice)’ explode into even rougher tones or how the title track is a testament to every choppy build-up to nail a killer hook."
- The organ on Self-Destruction, just like the bass-work, is too understated to make any impact.
- Generation Loss' chorus is hilariously poor from a perspective of catchiness or verse-foot. Same thing for the chorus on Losers 2 or the title track's vagueness.
- The windy topic cannot save Kick's derivative riff (the melody-writing here isn't universal, it's just a bit stale - except the last chorus), and the structure doesn't feel choppy either.
- There's not as much piano in Beach Front Property, as there are stops and starts with where the hard-hitting lines go. That Edge-inspired guitar overshadows any piano too on Losers.
- Granted, Optimism have the most apparent bass, but it's only playing respectably, nothing that feels too exciting. That song is also two tones away from just being a well-written post-grunge song.
"And every moment I’m left thinking that this album might one-dimensional in its approach or tone, you get cuts like ‘Dolores’ that rip everything back to a simmering slow burn ballad, or every moment the band knows to slow it down and breathe for just a moment, or a switch up into tones that are even more punishing but still contain real melody!"
- It isn't that slow in the grand scheme of albums with similar momentum. And that melody was fleeting with the lyrics staying, almost like any song here imo.
"And in the end… folks, by the time I got a solid eight to ten listens in I was looking for flaws, I was trying to drill into everything that could be better or different. Some critics have claimed the band is overly earnest especially with Slocum’s delivery being an acquired taste, but that’s the same criticism thrown at Sage Francis and plenty of emo acts and that’s never phased me in the slightest, especially when they don’t lean on sentimentality."
- That's a matter of preference, I don't consider them overly earnest, I already explained my quote unquote problems above. And the lack of sentimentality definitely is a strength for me too. Dylan's delivery is cut from the same cloth as Brian Fallon (from Gaslight Anthem) but he still is an A- development of Chris Carrabba (of Dashboard).
"The only other criticism for which I can see holding water is that the album can be emotionally exhausting and draining hitting so many of the same heavy power chords, that maybe it doesn’t show enough diversity… until you pay attention to how often the guitar and bass tones change up to deliver hook after hook of walloping power, and each song has enough unique detail in its content and melodic composition to feel unique."
- In comparison with any other emo album that I see as inferior to this, it does not contain that much variety. And I actually don't think it's emotionally exhausting, but maybe that just once again speaks to how intelligent of a songwriter Dylan Slocum is: no melodrama, or least always a fulfilling bone to it.
"I will also add that it’s an emotionally draining listen - art this raw and direct and targeted so expertly often is - but even that mirrors the hard confrontation with reality that is art that can speak this powerfully with such interwoven cohesion and thematic power."
- The emo soundscape prevents it from being draining, and I mostly just feel heard or guided by the truthspilling. Just like if any reader lost me, I still consider Brave Faces Everyone a really great album. [First added to this chart: 07/14/2021]
4Total albums: 1. Page 1 of 1
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Top 31 Music Albums of 2020 composition
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|
|
| Bladee | 2 | 6% | |
| Gwenifer Raymond | 1 | 3% | |
| Mac Miller | 1 | 3% | |
| Shawn Mendes | 1 | 3% | |
| Adrianne Lenker | 1 | 3% | |
| Trendall | 1 | 3% | |
| Died | 1 | 3% | |
| Show all | |||
| Country | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
16 | 52% | |
 |
4 | 13% | |
 |
2 | 6% | |
 |
2 | 6% | |
 |
1 | 3% | |
 |
1 | 3% | |
 |
1 | 3% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 31 Music Albums of 2020 chart changes
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 1 from 19th to 20th Good Luck Everybody by AJJ |
| Down 1 from 20th to 21st Brave Faces Everyone by Spanish Love Songs |
| Down 1 from 21st to 22nd Chilombo by Jhené Aiko |
| New entries |
|---|
 Bluesby Lamin Fofana |
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Other year charts by DommeDamian
(from the 2020s)| Title | Source | Type | Published | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top 3 Music Albums of 2025 | DommeDamian | 2025 year chart | 2025 | |
| Top 36 Music Albums of 2024 | DommeDamian | 2024 year chart | 2025 | |
| Top 46 Music Albums of 2023 | DommeDamian | 2023 year chart | 2025 | |
| Top 53 Music Albums of 2022 | DommeDamian | 2022 year chart | 2025 | |
| Top 29 Music Albums of 2021 | DommeDamian | 2021 year chart | 2025 | |
| Top 31 Music Albums of 2020 | DommeDamian | 2020 year chart | 2025 | |
Top 31 Music Albums of 2020 ratings
87/100 (from 1 vote)
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N.B. The average rating for this chart will not be reliable as it has been rated very few times.
Showing all 1 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 100/100  | 10/10/2021 21:58 |  Rhyner | | 99/100 |
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A lot of hard work happens in the background to keep BEA running, and it's especially difficult to do this when we can't pay our hosting fees :(
We work very hard to ensure our site is as fast (and FREE!) as possible, and we respect your privacy.